Method of preserving liquids.



rrnn

WOODBRIDGE H. BIROHMORE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOCLARKSON A. COLLINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF PRESERVING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 713,840, datedNovember 18, 1902.

Application filed December 6, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I,WooDBR1ncE H. BIRCH- MORE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Methods of Preserving and Distributing Liquids, of which thefollowing is a specification.

WVhile my invention may be applied generally to any liquid which it isdesired to preserve from the action of destructive bacilli, it is moreespecially intended to be applied to the preservation of milk, theimportance of accomplishing which is well understood.

Heretofore it has been proposed to preserve milk by filling an ordinarysiphon bottle therewith, forcing in a sterile gas under pressuresufficient for the expulsion of the milk, and then subjecting the bottleto a pasteui= izing temperature. This process has, however, in practiceproven worse than useless for several reasons. Thus the spout of theordinary siphon-bottle, especially after milk has passed through it,forms a veritable trap for filth from the atmosphere, in which diseasegerms readily propagate and unavoidably enter the milk as often as it isdrawn from the siphon. Again, the milk enters the siphon in the presenceof an unsterile atmosphere from which any disease germs present can bereadily absorbed, and the sterilization of such a body of liquid by theapplication of a temperature less than 212 Fahrenheit, as is required inpasteurizing, is an extremely difficult matter. In order to obviatethese defects and provide for the perfect preservation of milk, Iprovide, in the first place, an air-tight containing and distributingvessel, more particularly hereinafter described, which has anoutlet-valve located at the point of discharge, so that no vacant spaceis left within the vessel in which filth and disease germs can collector the residue of successive discharges from the vessel can remain. Thisvessel is filled with water, preferably previously sterilized, and thevessel, with its contents, is then raised to a positive sterilizingtemperature of not less than 212 Fahrenheit. A sterile gas-such asnitrogen, sterilized air, or other sterile gas which will not act dele-Serial No. 84,863- (No specimens.)

teriously upon or be readily absorbed by the milk or other liquid to bepreserved-is then forced into the vessel under sufficient pressure-sayone and one-eighth atmospheresto force out the water, thus leaving thevessel filled with a sterile atmosphere.

The milk is pasteurized by the application of heat in any usual orconvenient manner before being placed in the distributing vessel. It isthen forced from the vessel or tank in which it is pasteurized directlyinto the distributing vessel without contact with the atmosphere andunder sufficient pressure to overcome the gas-pressure within the vesseluntil the vessel is filled with milk, except a small space above themilk, which is occupied by the gas under pressure, whereby the milk isforced out when required for use.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, which shows in section a distributing vessel or bottle adaptedfor use in connection with my process.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates the body of the bottle, which maybe made at the bottom with a pit or sink a to facilitate the completeexpulsion of the liquid therefrom. A soft-metal collar B is swaged orotherwise suitably secured to the neck of the bottle. \Vithin the collarB is a perforated plug 0, which carries the glass tube D, extending tothe bottom of the bottle. Between the collar 13 and plug O is a packingc, of parchmentized paper or other suitable material. To the collar B issecured the soft-metal top E, through which runs a vertical passage c,forming a continuation of the tube D. With the passage e is connectedthe downwardly-inclined discharge-tube F. The openingf of thedischarge-tube F is closed by the valve G, the outer face of which isflush with the outer end of the tube.

The valve G is arranged to be opened inwardly in any usual or suitablemanner, as by the pivoted handle 11 and stem h, and to be heldpositively closed, as by the spring I.

WVhile the bottle may be filled through the discharge-tube F, I preferfor this purpose to provide the passage 6 at its upper end with a valveL, which is closed upward by pressure from within the bottle, and whensuch pres sure is removed, orby pressure from without, drops or isforced down upon the rests Z. The valve L is seated in a plugM and isprovided with a stem m, upon which is screwed a cap N to hold the valvepositively in place and securely cover the orifice when the bottle isfilled with milk.

In practicing my process the bottle A is first filled or nearly filledwith water, which may have been previously sterilized, and is then, withits contents, raised to a positive sterilizing temperature of 212Fahrenheit or over. A suitable sterile gas, such as nitrogen 0;;sterilized air, is then admitted under pre'ssure'T roug thevalve-opening L, and the valve G being opened the water is forced out,leaving the bottle filled with a sterile atmosphere. Pasteurized milk isthen forced into the bottle directly from the pasteurizing tank orvessel without contact with the atmosphere through the valve-opening Luntil the bottle A is filled to the desired point. The milk is forced inunder pressure against the pressure of the gas, which is retained in thebottle above the milk, as shown in the drawing, and serves to force outthe milk as required for use when the valve G is opened. When the bottlehas been filled to the required point and the pressure from without isremoved, the valve L will be closed by the pressure within the bottle.It is further secured from accidental opening and from any possibleentrance of contaminating material by screwing down the cap N upon thethreaded stem m. The bottle is then ready for use and may be set away tocool.

While it would be possible without departing from the nature of myinvention to simply fill the bottle with sterilized Water or steam andomit the succeeding step of heating the bottle and its contents or tofill it with unsterilized water and then heat to 212 Fahrenheit, theessence of my invention in this respect being the sterilization orremoval from the bottle of the unsterile atmosphere therein, to the endof leaving the interior of the bottle free from living disease germs,before the introduction of the milk therein, still I prefer, asdescribed and as a further precaution, to first fill the bottle withsterilized water and then subject it and its water contents to apositive sterilizing temperature of not less than 212 Fahrenheit.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that by the use of myprocess in connection with the distributing vessel milk or other foodliquid once properly sterilized can be preserved indefinitely withoutthe propagation of disease germs therein and can be given to theconsumer in a perfectly wholesome condition. The advantage of this forsupplying hospitals and for the use of invalids generally will be wellunderstood.

I do not claim herein the vessel illustrated and described in connectionwith my process, but have made the same the subject of a separateapplication for Letters Patent, filed March 4:, 1902, Serial No. 96,658.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described process for preserving milk and other liquidsafiording support for germ propagation which consists in sterilizing theliquid to be preserved, filling a container for such liquid with asterile atmosphere, and then forcing the sterilized liquid to bepreserved into said container against the pressure of said sterileatmosphere.

2. The herein-described process for preserving milk and other liquidsaffording support for germ propagation which consists in sterilizing theliquid to be preserved, filling a container with a sterile atmosphere byfirst filling it with a sterile liquid, and then forcing in a sterilegas, and expelling the said liquid and then forcing the sterilizedliquid to be preserved into said container against the pressure of saidsterile atmosphere.

3. The process for preserving milk and otherliquids affording supportfor germ propagation, which consists in sterilizing the liquid to bepreserved, filling a container with a sterile atmosphere by firstfilling it with a liquid,sterilizin g said liquid in said container,forcing into said container a sterile gas, and expelling said liquid,then forcing the sterilized liquid to be preserved into said containeragainst the pressure of said sterile gas.

4. The process for preserving milk andotherliquidsaifordingsupportforgermpropagation which consists insterilizing the liquid to be preserved, filling a container with asterile atmosphere by first filling it with a liquid, sterilizing saidliquidin said container, forcing into said container a sterile gas, andexpelling said liquid, then forcing the sterilized liquid to bepreserved directly from the sterilizing receptacle into said container,without contact with the atmosphere, and against the pressure of saidsterile gas.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4:th day ofDecember, A. D. 1901.

W. H. BIRCHMORE.

